how to glue line ties and what glue

[borderbasser]

I have been using stainless cotter pins for my line ties, hinges, and hangers on my swimbaits and really like them. I do have a problem though gluing them in. I have been using 30min. devcon to glue them in, but it is very difficult to get what I feel is a sufficient amount of epoxy in the hole even when trying to poke it in with a tooth pic. One solution I have found is to mix up a batch, draw it up in a syringe and inject it in the bottom of the hole. When you push the cotter pin in, the epoxy oozes out the top. The problem is when you draw up even the 30min epoxy, it cures much faster when in the syringe much like leaving it in a cup. When trying to glue everything up and getting everything positioned right for the multiple joint baits, it becomes a problem and usually takes a couple batches to do the job. My questions are these:

Is there a glue that can be drawn up in a syringe and still have enough working time to glue everything up and still have a little time to clean up the syringe?

Do you guys think I should be able to get a sufficient amout of epoxy in the hole with the toothpic?

I am just looking for a little piece of mind or a better method of gluing in these pins without having to change to different hardware. Thanks guys.

TJ

[BobP]

TJ, I use hand wound wire line ties; poke 5 min epoxy down in the hole with a piece of wire then coat the line tie and fit it in. Never had one come out. I think a twisted or threaded line tie is more secure than a straight cotter pin - it has more glue surface. You can twist cotter pins by fitting the head over a drill bit, clamping the bit in a vise, and twisting the legs with a pair of Vise Grips. I've taken apart commercial baits that had a cotter pin crimped in several places along its length to rough it up and increase the glue surface. That seems to work OK but I prefer a belt AND suspenders.

[borderbasser]

Thanks Bob for the reply. I think I get a little more surface area than you might think. Still maybe not as much as the twisted wire though. I drill my hole just a little oversized. Before I insert my pins, I spread the cotter pin appart a little. It then has to be squeezed together to fit in the hole, and the spring action makes it spread back open in the hole. My point is that I can get epoxy not only around the outside of the pin but in between as well. I also rough up the pin on a belt sander and cut some small notches with a dremel as well. I am just not sure if I am getting enough epoxy in the holes without the syringe. I am going to try a thin piece of wire next time though instead of the tooth pic. Thanks again Bob.

TJ

[skeeter jones]

I tried using the 5 min epoxy and by the time I got the first one done the epoxy had set up on me , I tried to get the second one done and it failed. I did not get enough epoxy in the hole and that really is the key to a good bond. I use the wire method to push the epoxy in the hole. I wonder if you thinned the epoxy with a drop of acetone would it affect its bonding strength, it should thin it and extend its workable time.

[Palmetto Balsa]

Go and test it first.

Wait 2 days for the epoxy to cure and tie a strong wire to the eyelet, wrap the other end around a tree and pull as hard as you can. If your bait rips open and pieces of wood are stuck to the shaft of your eyelet then it is holding fine. If the eyelet slides out then fix the problem.

"I drill my hole just a little oversized."

Don't make the hole oversized. A tight fit will be the strongest.